1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of speech recognition applications, and in particular, to a method for correcting dictation recognition errors.
2. Description of Related Art
Speech dictation systems improve over time if recognition of dictated words improves. The recognition of dictated words improves over time only if users take the time to correct misrecognized words. Thus, if a user sees an error, the user should correct the error. However, most users want to just finish their work and do not take the time to correct misrecognized words. Currently, it is often suggested that users dictate a paragraph and then correct the errors. Waiting any longer is likely to result in errors being overlooked or forgotten. According to presently accepted procedures to correct the errors, the user must first find the error or errors, then open a dialog box or window for correcting the error, and then make the correction, thus frequently interrupting the flow of the user's thoughts.
Error correction tools in speech applications now available, for example Vocabulary Expander, provides for automatically generating a list of words in the out of recognition category, that is, those words which appear to the speech application as having been misrecognized. This list is usually generated at the conclusion of dictation, although users can invoke the tool more frequently, at the cost of interrupting their dictation.
In order to improve speech recognition in speech systems, the user needs to correct the errors using the software application's correction method rather than just typing or dictating over the text. Only through such error correction does speech recognition improve. Accordingly, there is a long-felt and unsatisfied need to provide a method for error correction which does not interfere with or unduly interrupt the user's dictation.